About the C Altered Scale (Super Locrian)
The C altered scale is a 7-note scale. All altered tensions (♭9, #9, ♭5, #5) for dominant 7th chords resolving to minor. Its notes are C, C#, D#, E, F#, G# and A#, built from the formula 1 ♭2 ♭3 3 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7.
- Notes
- C – C# – D# – E – F# – G# – A#
- Formula
- 1 ♭2 ♭3 3 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7
- Steps
- H W H W W W W (1–2–1–2–2–2–2 semitones)
- Root
- C
C Altered Scale (Super Locrian) degrees and intervals
| Degree | Note | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | C | Root |
| ♭2 | C# | Minor 2nd |
| ♭3 | D# | Minor 3rd |
| 3 | E | Major 3rd |
| ♭5 | F# | Tritone (♭5) |
| ♭6 | G# | Minor 6th |
| ♭7 | A# | Minor 7th |
Where to play the C Altered Scale (Super Locrian) on bass
Frets 0–12 in standard tuning (E A D G), lowest string first. Root notes (C) are highlighted; the pattern repeats from the 12th fret up.
| String | Frets |
|---|---|
| E1 | 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12 |
| A1 | 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11 |
| D2 | 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11 |
| G2 | 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11 |
How to practice the altered scale
- Use over V7alt chords resolving to minor
- Practice the melodic minor a half step up
- Work on jazz turnarounds (ii-V-i)
- Emphasize the ♭9 and #9 tensions
- Great for creating outside tension before resolution
Scales with the same notes as C Altered Scale (Super Locrian)
These scales share every note with the C altered scale but start from a different root, so the same shapes work over different chords.
Altered scale in other keys
Other scales in C
- C Minor Pentatonic
- C Major Pentatonic
- C Mixolydian Pentatonic
- C Natural Minor
- C Major (Ionian)
- C Blues
- C Dorian
- C Mixolydian
- C Phrygian
- C Harmonic Minor
- C Lydian
- C Locrian
- C Diminished (Half-Whole)
- C Diminished (Whole-Half)
- C Whole Tone
- C Augmented (Hexatonic)
- C Phrygian Dominant
- C Lydian Dominant
- C Mixolydian ♭6 (Hindu)
- C Bebop Dominant
- C Quartal (Stacked 4ths)
- C Quartal Minor (Stacked 4ths)